Engineering Commons^™

Lock And Hold Structured Light Illumination, Laurence G. Hassebrook, Daniel L. Lau, Charles J. Casey

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Patents

A method, system, and associated program code, for 3-dimensional image acquisition, using structured light illumination, of a surface-of-interest under observation by at least one camera. One aspect includes: illuminating the surface-of-interest, while static/at rest, with structured light to obtain initial depth map data therefor; while projecting a hold pattern comprised of a plurality of snake-stripes at the static surface-of-interest, assigning an identity to and an initial lock position of each of the snake-stripes of the hold pattern; and while projecting the hold pattern, tracking, from frame-to-frame each of the snake-stripes. Another aspect includes: projecting a hold pattern comprised of a …

System And Method For 3d Imaging Using Structured Light Illumination, Laurence G. Hassebrook, Daniel L. Lau, Henry G. Dietz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Patents

A biometrics system captures and processes a handprint image using a structured light illumination to create a 2D representation equivalent of a rolled inked handprint. The biometrics system includes an enclosure with a scan volume for placement of the hand. A reference plane with a backdrop pattern forms one side of the scan volume. The backdrop pattern is preferably a random noise pattern and the coordinates of the backdrop pattern are predetermined at system provisioning. The biometrics system further includes at least one projection unit for projecting a structured light pattern onto a hand positioned in the scan volume on …

2012 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to establish 2012 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2012 survey continues to document the results after enactment of the original “secondary enforcement” statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994 and the subsequent change to “primary enforcement” which was enacted in 2006. Data were collected at 160 randomly selected sites in 18 counties across Kentucky. Data from the individual sites were combined into a statewide percentage considering roadway functional classification, county and vehicle miles traveled.

Kentucky Safety Belt Methodology, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green, Ronald Langley

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued new Uniform Criteria for State Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use. The final rule was published in Federal Register Volume 76, Number 63. Following is a summary of the methodology Kentucky will use to comply with the criteria described in the final rule. The methodology considers the experience of the past 30 years of safety belt data collection in Kentucky along with the guidelines contained in the final rule. The new methodology will be implemented beginning with the 2013 statewide survey.

Noninvasive Optical Quantification Of Absolute Blood Flow, Blood Oxygenation, And Oxygen Consumption Rate In Exercising Skeletal Muscle, Katelyn Gurley, Yu Shang, Guoqiang Yu

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study investigates a method using novel hybrid diffuse optical spectroscopies [near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS)] to obtain continuous, noninvasive measurement of absolute blood flow (BF), blood oxygenation, and oxygen consumption rate (V̇O₂) in exercising skeletal muscle. Healthy subjects (n=9) performed a handgrip exercise to increase BF and V̇O₂ in forearm flexor muscles, while a hybrid optical probe on the skin surface directly monitored oxy-, deoxy-, and total hemoglobin concentrations ([HbO₂], [Hb], and THC), tissue oxygen saturation (S_tO₂), relative BF (rBF), and relative oxygen …

Towards Omni-Tomography -- Grand Fusion Of Multiple Modalities For Simultaneous Interior Tomography, Ge Wang, Jie Zhang, Hao Gao, Victor Weir, Hengyong Yu, Wenxiang Cong, Xiaochen Xu, Haiou Shen, James Bennett, Mark Furth, Yue Wang, Michael Vannier

Radiology Faculty Publications

We recently elevated interior tomography from its origin in computed tomography (CT) to a general tomographic principle, and proved its validity for other tomographic modalities including SPECT, MRI, and others. Here we propose "omni-tomography", a novel concept for the grand fusion of multiple tomographic modalities for simultaneous data acquisition in a region of interest (ROI). Omni-tomography can be instrumental when physiological processes under investigation are multi-dimensional, multi-scale, multi-temporal and multi-parametric. Both preclinical and clinical studies now depend on in vivo tomography, often requiring separate evaluations by different imaging modalities. Over the past decade, two approaches have been used for multimodality …

Geometric Variables Shock-Tunnel Configurations And Their Effects On Pressure-Time Waveforms, Chase W. Guengerich, Mark A. Faulhaber

Kaleidoscope

No abstract provided.

Load Transfer Assembly, Herbert F. Southgate, Kamyar C. Mahboub, Alireza Zeinali

Civil Engineering Faculty Patents

A load transfer apparatus accommodates movement between adjacent concrete slabs. The load transfer apparatus includes a spine in a form of an elongated hinge having a longitudinal axis A. A first dowel and a second dowel project radially from the spine and are located at two spaced points along said longitudinal axis A.

Systems And Methods For Detecting Defects In Coatings Utilizing Color-Based Thermal Mismatch, Richard Alloo, Kozo Saito, Belal Gharaibeh, Keng Hoo Chuah, Nelson Kudzo Akafuah, Ahmad Salaimeh

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Patents

A method of analyzing a thermal image of a coated substrate to determine the presence of defects includes determining a defect temperature range based on a color of the coated substrate and the maximum temperature of the coated substrate in the thermal image. Thereafter, the thermal image is processed by determining a signal value of a pixel of interest based on a temperature of the pixel of interest, temperatures of pixels in a kernel of pixels surrounding the pixel of interest, and the color of the coated substrate. The signal value of the pixel of interest is then compared to …

In-Situ Nanoparticle Formation In Polymer Clearcoats, Uschi M. Graham, Rajesh Khatri, Burt H. Davis

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty Patents

Methods and compositions for forming a transparent clear coat characterized by a desired property, such as a color effect, resistance to UV light-induced degradation and/or scratch resistance, on a substrate are detailed according to embodiments of the present invention. Particular compositions and methods for producing a transparent clear coat layer include nanoparticles formed in-situ during curing of a transparent clear coat. Curable clear coat compositions are described according to embodiments of the present invention which include one or more substantially dissolved nanoparticle precursors.

Concentration Effects And Ion Properties Controlling The Fractionation Of Halides During Aerosol Formation, Marcelo I. Guzman, Richa R. Athalye, Jose M. Rodriguez

Chemistry Faculty Publications

During the aerosolization process at the sea surface, halides are incorporated into aerosol droplets, where they may play an important role in tropospheric ozone chemistry. Although this process may significantly contribute to the formation of reactive gas phase molecular halogens, little is known about the environmental factors that control how halides selectively accumulate at the air-water interface. In this study, the production of sea spray aerosol is simulated using electrospray ionization (ESI) of 100 nM equimolar solutions of NaCl, NaBr, NaI, NaNO(2), NaNO(3), NaClO(4), and NaIO(4). The microdroplets generated are analyzed by mass spectrometry to study the comparative enrichment of …

Multi-Dimensional Modeling Of Charring Ablators, Haoyue Weng, Huaibao Zhang, Ovais U. Khan, Alexandre Martin

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Re-entry of a spacecraft occurs at the hypersonic regime where the flow field is extremely complex: high temperature gradients occurring in the shock-layer region ionize and dissociate the air. Even if a large portion of heat generated during this process is convected away in the surrounding air, a fraction of it is still transferred to the vehicle. Therefore, it is important to protect the vehicle with a suitable kind of shielding. Of the many techniques available today, use of ablative material is gaining popularity. The basic idea behind an ablating heat shield is that the energy incident on the spacecraft …

Temporary Flood Barriers, Sarah M. Mccormack, Chris Vandyke, Ashley Suazo, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report investigates the use and effectiveness of temporary flood barriers (TFBs) to mitigate the impacts of flood waters on Kentucky’s roadways. TFBs are structures, usually filled with sand, which are constructed along the edges of roadways and thus serve as a buffer against rising waters. In doing so, they can protect the structural soundness of roads, and ensure that roads remain open to traffic during flood events. The report is divided into four main sections. The first chapter introduces the concept of TFBs and notes situations in which they have been effectively deployed. The second chapter surveys the different …

Kentucky Department Of Vehicle Regulation Internet Applications Study, Andrew Martin, Jennifer Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The study identified 107 unique interactive services, and 13 unique information services on state vehicle regulation agency web sites. The average state has roughly 15 percent of all existing services. States with larger populations, number of registered vehicles and drivers tend to have more total services and transaction services. The general flow of the data indicates a fast level of growth, as companies and individuals embrace the efficiency and flexibility of online transactions. The W3C Unicorn Validator, Link Sleuth, Web Accessibility Checker and Hubspot Marketing Grader scores were combined to generate a web design score for each state. Washington received …

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Carbon Foams For Repair And Reconstruction Of Bone Defects, Brock Holston Marrs, Rodney Andrews, Larry Cunningham Jr.

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty Patents

The present invention relates to a tissue scaffold and a method of preparing a tissue scaffold for implantation. The tissue scaffold includes a body having a graphite foam core. At least a first portion of the external surface of that graphite foam core is covered by a composite material to provide additional mechanical strength to the scaffold.

Wim Data Collection And Analysis, Jerry G. Pigman, Clark Graves, David Q. Hunsucker, David Cain

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this study were to review and analyze current procedures in order to implement a process for collecting and analyzing weigh-in-motion (WIM) data to insure an adequate and accurate representation of weights of vehicles using Kentucky’s roadways. A literature review of WIM data collection equipment, practices and procedures indicated that a range of options are available and used by other agencies. Piezoelectric cable detection systems were most frequently used and provided adequate accuracy, if attention is given to monitoring and calibration.

An overall assessment of Kentucky’s WIM data collection program resulted in recommendations for: 1) increased use of …

The Use Of High-Solids Loadings In Biomass Pretreatment – A Review, Alicia A. Modenbach, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The use of high‐solids loadings (≥ 15% solids, w/w) in the unit operations of lignocellulose conversion processes potentially offers many advantages over lower‐solids loadings, including increased sugar and ethanol concentrations and decreased production and capital costs. Since the term lignocellulosic materials refers to a wide range of feedstocks (agricultural and forestry residues, distillery by‐products, and dedicated energy crops like grasses), the term “solids loading” here is defined by the amount of dry material that enters the process divided by the total mass of material and water added to the material. The goal of this study is to provide a consolidated …

Poster Session, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Western Kentucky Deep Saline Reservoir CO₂ Storage Test: Shallow Groundwater Monitoring Results, E. Glynn Beck and others, Kentucky Geological Survey
• Baseline Soil Properties of a Central Kentucky Riparian Buffer, Amanda Gumbert and others, Dept of Plant and Soil Science, UK
• The Kentucky Water Well Driller’s Certification Program, Scotty E. Robertson and David A. Jackson, Kentucky Division of Water, Frankfort, KY
• Influences of Cladophora Bloom on the Diets of Amblema plicata and Elliptio dilatata in the Upper Green River, Kentucky, Jennifer M. Yates and others, Dept of Biology, Western Kentucky University
• Using Electrical Resistivity to Locate …

Session 2c, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• The Developing Need for the Regulation of Geothermal Closed Loop Borehole Installations, David A. Jackson, Kentucky Division of Water, Frankfort, KY
• Strategies for Effective Management and Mitigation of Nonpoint Source Pollution within Wellhead Protection Areas, Jessica Moore and others, Kentucky Division of Water, Frankfort, KY
• Status and Early Findings at the Kentucky Horse Park Monitoring Station, James C. Currens and others, Kentucky Geological Survey
• Fluid Evolution in Cambrian-Ordovician Knox Group Reservoirs, Marty Parris and M.W. Bradley, Kentucky Geological Survey and USGS, Tennessee Water Science Center, Nashville, TN
• Simulating Long-Term Fate of CO₂ for a Western …

Session 2b, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Agriculture Producer Responses to Government-Funded Conservation Programs to Address Water Quality, Wuyang Hu and others, Dept of Agricultural Economics, UK
• Abatement Costs for Agricultural Non-Point Source Polluters, Jack Schieffer and others, Dept of Agricultural Economics, UK
• Point Source Polluters in the Kentucky River Watershed and the Potential for Water Quality Trading, Ron Childress and others, Dept of Agricultural Economics, UK
• Point Source Abatement Costs and Preferences for Trading Market Mechanisms in the Kentucky River Watershed, Andrew McLaughlin and others, Dept of Agricultural Economics, UK

Session 2a, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• The Potential for Using a P Loss Model to Improve the Accuracy of the Kentucky Phosphorus Index, Carl H. Bolster, USDA-ARS, Bowling Green, KY
• Additive State Space Model – A Promising Approach to Water- Quality-Related Treatment Experiments in Heterogeneous Landscapes, Ole Wendroth, Dept of Plant and Soil Sciences, UK
• Development and Application of Numeric Interpretations of Kentucky’s Narrative Water Quality Standards for Nutrients, Lara Panayotoff, Kentucky Division of Water, Frankfort, KY
• Arsenic Removal in Reactor Systems, Aniruddha Dastidar and Y.T. Wang, Watershed Management Branch and Dept of Civil Engineering, UK
• Trends in Water Quality Issues for …

Session 1c, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• The Effects of Prescribed Fire on Amphibian and Reptile Diversity in an Oak-Grassland Restoration Area, Robert Knopp and Howard Whiteman, Dept Biological Sciences and Watershed Studies, Murray State University
• Results of a Data Evaluation to Establish Priority Remediation Areas for Dry Weather Fecal Contamination in a Karst Influenced Watershed, Steve Evans and others, Third Rock Consultants, Lexington, KY
• Development of In-House Methods for High-Throughput DNA Extraction, Kimberly L. Cook and LorraBelle Hill, USDA-ARS, Bowling Green, KY
• Validation of the Sanitary Category Value Model (SCV) for the Identification of Leaking Sewer Lines: A Study of the West Hickman …

Session 1b, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• University – Habitat for Humanity Green Infrastructure Demonstration Project, Nancy Givens and Terry Wilson, WKU Center for Environmental Education and Sustainability, Bowling Green, KY
• Effectiveness of Pollutant Removal in the McConnell Springs Stormwater Quality Wetland Pond and the Gainesway Pond Retrofit Project, Year Two, David J. Price and Susan L. Plueger, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
• Coca-Cola Stormwater Replenish Project, Eric Dawalt and Russ Turpin, Ridegewater, LLC and EcoGro, Lexington, KY
• ITEST and LFUCG Stormwater Professional Development, Brian Radcliffe and Carol D. Hanley, Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment, UK

Session 1a, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• A Regionally-Calibrated Critical Flow for Stream Channel Protection, Bob Hawley and others, Sustainable Streams LLC, Louisville, KY
• Monitoring Wetland Restoration Success at North Fork of Irish Creek, Brian C. Reeder, Center for Environmental Education and Institute for Regional Analysis and Public Policy, Morehead State University
• NC2D Open Channel Flow Model: Development and Applications for Stream Restoration Design in Kentucky, Brian J. Belcher, Beaver Creek Hydrology LLC, Lexington, KY
• Using Remote Sensing Tools to Target Stream Protection and Wastewater Treatment BMPs in Rural Kentucky, Catherine Carter and others, Tetra Tech, Research Triangle Park, NC
• Improving Water Quality …

Plenary Session: Water Research Needs In Kentucky, Alan E. Fryar, Peter T. Goodmann, Michael S. Griffin, James A. Kipp

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

Four panelists were invited to present their visions/predictions of current and future water research needs in Kentucky in an opening plenary session at the 2012 Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium. The requested overall general focus was ground water research needs.

Proceedings Of 2012 Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

This symposium was planned and conducted as a part of the state water resources research institute annual program that is supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number G11AP20081 from the United States Geological Survey. The contents of this proceedings document and the views and conclusions presented at the symposium are solely the responsibility of the individual authors and presenters and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USGS or of the symposium organizers and sponsors. This publication is produced with the understanding that the United States Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for government purposes.

An Adjoint Method To Determine The Effective Material Properties Of An Ablator, Emma Johnstone

Ablation Workshop

The determination of the effective thermal properties of a material from thermocouple data has always been very labour intensive. Similarly determining the Arrhenius parameters for a decomposition model from thermo-gravimetric analysis is also very time-consuming. There is little formalisation of the procedures used to determine the material properties. Despite the fact that some effort has been devoted to this topic in the literature, it is not clear whether comparable effective material properties data would result if several groups used the same experimental data. The FGE Ablation code FABL has been written in an adjoint form and has successfully been used …

Ultrasonic Thermometry For Recession Measurements In Ablative Materials, Joseph A. Lloyd, Donald E. Yuhas

Ablation Workshop

Recent developments in ultrasonic instrumentation & sensors, improved signal processing, and high speed data acquisition have rekindled interest in ultrasonic thermometry and made temperature localization feasible and economically attractive to a wider range of applications. Ultrasound-based temperature measurements offer several advantages: they are non-intrusive, have high temporal response, isolate the sensor from explosive or chemically harsh environments and do not adversely influence thermal transport. Ultrasonic thermometry techniques rely on precise measurements of ultrasonic time-of-flight (ToF) which forms the basis for many applications including measurements of flow, heat flux, temperature, ablation and strain. In this report, we characterize the ultrasonic propagation …

A Statistics-Based Material Property Analysis To Support Ablation Simulation Uq Efforts, Sean R. Copeland, Juan Alonso, Milad Mahzari, Ioana Cozmuta

Ablation Workshop

Accurate characterization of entry capsule heat shield material properties is a critical component in modeling and simulating Thermal Protection System (TPS) response in a prescribed aerothermal environment. The thermal decomposition of the TPS material during the pyrolysis and charring processes is typically poorly characterized and results in large uncertainties in material properties as inputs for ablation models. These material property uncertainties contribute to large design margins on flight systems and cloud re-construction efforts for data collected during flight and ground testing, making revision to existing models for entry systems more challenging. This work focuses on the following areas of interest …

Efficient Uncertainty Quantification & Sensitivity Analysis For Hypersonic Flow And Material Response Simulations Under Inherent And Model-Form Uncertainties, Serhat Hosder

Ablation Workshop

Accurate numerical prediction of coupled hypersonic flow fields and ablative TPS material response is challenging due to the complex nature of the physics. The uncertainties associated with various physical models used in high-enthalpy hypersonic flow and material response simulations can have significant effects on the accuracy of the results including the heat-flux and temperature distributions in various layers of ablating TPS material. These uncertainties can arise from the lack of knowledge in physical modeling (model-form or epistemic uncertainty) or inherent variations in the model inputs (aleatory or probabilistic uncertainty). It is important to include both types of uncertainty in the …